Tiger lobbies for more international flights

Tiger Airways is trying to pressure the Federal Government to let it make more international flights after Qantas abandoned several overseas routes.

Qantas is slashing flights as it tries to offset a $2 billion increase in its fuel bill, and Tiger Airways says it is keen to take up the slack.

The office of Federal Transport Minister Anthony Albanese says there are legislative provisions preventing Tiger flying more international routes, and the Minister does not have the discretion to simply allow Tiger to increase flights.

But the budget carrier's chief operating officer Steve Burns says there are compelling reasons why Tiger should be allowed to offer more overseas services.

"International tourism and the carriage of passengers to and from Australia's borders internationally are in the hands of one organisation in Qantas-Jetstar," he said.

"To be honest all Qantas-Jetstar is interested in is reducing services and increasing fares and I think that's counterproductive in terms of the Australian economy."

He says representatives from the airline will meet the Minister next week to argue their case.

"It needs consent at a government level," he said.

"Our customers are emailing us week after week asking us to be able to fly not only domestically but internationally as well, and I think we'd love to do that we just currently aren't allowed to do that by Australian law."

Free trade is the oldest argument in federal politics and the issue that literally defined the federation era but opposition exists to the TPP, courtesy of the Investor-State Dispute Resolutions clause.